


No Laughing Matter

by silkmoth



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-10
Updated: 2011-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-14 15:30:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/150770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkmoth/pseuds/silkmoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur has lost his humor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Laughing Matter

**No Laughing Matter**

“You can stop anytime now.” Frowning, Arthur watched Merlin convulsing on the floor. Obviously, he couldn’t stop.

“Merlin!”

“Wh… whut? What?” Merlin snickered from the floor.

“This isn’t funny at all!”

“Sure it is! Gods, I wish I had seen those ears!” And off he went again, screeching with laughter.

“STOP IT!” Arthur yelled, which actually startled Merlin out of laughing. He looked up and whatever he saw in Arthur’s face, made him shake his head. “Come on, Arthur! What the hell is wrong with you? Your voice is normal now… so what? Everyone was embarrassed, not only you!” Merlin giggled again. “Hell, I wish I was still jealous over Gwen… it would have been even more funny then!”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Arthur asked, sitting down on the bed. He was still feeling sick to the stomach.

“What?”

“That not everything was all so hysterically funny! It’s bad enough for me to see how Morgana is watching you these days! You think it’s fun for me to hear my father telling me to arrest you, to listen to him sentencing you to death because you’re a sorcerer? Do you know how often I’ve dreamt about exactly this?”

Merlin scrambled over to him and laid his hands on Arthur’s knees. “Hey… nothing happened. Uh, by the way… where were you? I felt a bit alone down there in the dungeons.”

“I just came ‘round the corner when I saw keys floating in the air! I thought you would manage. Merlin, do you realize what would have happened if I had to get you out of that cell? We would be on our way to exile, now.”

“What should I have done, huh? I couldn’t just let Gaius…”

“You could have maybe NOT FREED THAT… _THING_ IN THE FIRST PLACE!”

“Stop yelling!”

“I’LL YELL AS MUCH AS I LIKE! I CAN’T…” Arthur closed his eyes. “I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Whoa, wait!” Merlin hoisted himself on the bed and grabbed one of Arthur’s hands. “You can’t stand what anymore?”

“You… doing magic just for fun! It’s like watching an infant with a burning torch on top of a haystack!”

“I’m not doing that!”

“Yes you do!” Arthur stood up again. “You do it all the time! Mind you I know you’re doing great things with it as well… I do know that! But honestly, whenever I see you grinning lately I get heartburn!” When no response came, Arthur turned around to see Merlin staring at him out of huge eyes. The prince sighed. “I wish I could make you understand, Merlin. Do you… do you know what would happen if one of my father’s knights watched you doing magic? Some of them wouldn’t even drag you to my father… they would just run you through!”

“I’m careful…”

Arthur interrupted him. “NO, YOU’RE NOT! THAT’S MY WHOLE POINT, DAMMIT!”

Merlin swallowed. “I know. I’m just… since you and me… since I’ve told you, I’m happy I can use it, at least in front of you.”

Arthur leaned down and grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, shaking him a bit. “You CAN use it… as long as we’re here in my rooms and the door is locked! If it makes you happy, you can do whatever you want to me! Hell, I will probably enjoy most of it! But stop doing shit like this in front of others… as long as it isn’t a life-death situation!”

Blinking a few times, Merlin looked up at him. “So… you still will enjoy what I do to you?”

For a moment, Arthur didn’t get it. “What?” Then he roared, threw Merlin completely on the bed and jumped on top of him. “You’re an idiot! Why the hell do you think I’m losing it here?”

“You’ve said you can’t stand me anymore…”

“IT! I’ve said it! Meaning, you magicking around all over the place where others can see you! Merlin, please. Please! If all your talk about me becoming a great king is true, then stop doing stuff like that. Because I swear, I will have a heart attack any day now!”

“I promise.”

Arthur rolled his eyes and stuck his nose into Merlin’s neck. “Now why do I have trouble believing this?” Feeling a breath of magic floating softly over his body, taking some clothes with it, Arthur shuddered. “Merlin…”

“What? The door is locked.”

Arthur propped himself up on the elbows and glared down at the warlock. With all his might, he ignored the invisible fingers tugging at the strings of his pants. “Merlin, I’m serious!”

“So am I!” Merlin grabbed Arthur’s neck and drew him down until they were nose to nose. As always, Arthur was fascinated by the molten gold in Merlin’s eyes. “I promise I will try to stop feeling giddy and doing… you know. But hell! I’ve got you! I’m entitled to some giddiness.”

Arthur huffed and then watched, a bit breathlessly, Merlin’s lips open. “Flattery will get you…”

“Yeah, I know.” With that, Merlin closed the last bit of distance between them and kissed him softly. Arthur’s brain stopped functioning almost immediately, as always. His last thought, more a sigh, was, _Maybe exile won’t be so bad, after all.  
_

The End.

  
 _~ Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly. ~  
_  
Rose Franken


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